Attention A T users. To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps.
1. Please switch auto forms mode to off.
2. Hit enter to expand a main menu option (Health, Benefits, etc).
3. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow.
You will now be able to tab or arrow up or down through the submenu options to access/activate the submenu links.

Attention A T users. To access the combo box on this page please perform the following steps.
1. Press the alt key and then the down arrow.
2. Use the up and down arrows to navigate this combo box.
3. Press enter on the item you wish to view. This will take you to the page listed.

National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans

The National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans is a forum to exchange new ideas; provide education and consultation to improve the delivery of services; and disseminate the knowledge gained through the efforts of the Center's Research and Model Development Cores to VA, other federal agencies, and community provider programs that assist homeless populations.

Physical Disability Board of Review

The Department of Defense (DoD) Physical Disability Board of Review (PDBR) provides Veterans who are medically separated from military service between September 11, 2001 and December 31, 2009, with the opportunity to have their disability ratings reviewed to ensure fairness, consistency and accuracy. The PDBR was created by the United States Congress in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) of 2008.

In March 2014, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) issued guidance to Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and VA medical center staff across the country to notify eligible homeless and at-risk Veterans of the right to have their disability rating reviewed by the PDBR. VA staff also provided interested Veterans with the appropriate letters and forms. In approximately 25 percent of the cases reviewed by the PDBR (as of December 2011), the applicants were found to be eligible for a disability retirement. Through the PDBR process, eligible Veterans—including homeless Veterans—are provided with additional financial benefits that can assist them with securing stable housing and supporting their families, thus ultimately helping VA achieve the goal of ending homelessness among Veterans.

The attached slides provide additional details about PDBR. For more information about the Physical Disability Board of Review, click here.

Project CHALENG

Project CHALENG (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups) for Veterans, an innovative program designed to enhance the continuum of care for homeless Veterans provided by the local VA and its surrounding community service agencies. The guiding principle behind Project CHALENG is that no single agency can provide the full spectrum of services required to help homeless Veterans become productive members of society. Project CHALENG enhances coordinated services by bringing the VA together with community agencies and other federal, state, and local governments who provide services to the homeless to raise awareness of homeless Veterans' needs and to plan to meet those needs.

This Plan outlines an interagency collaboration that aligns mainstream housing, health, education, and human services to prevent Americans from experiencing homelessness. As the most far-reaching and ambitious plan to end homelessness in our history, this Plan will both strengthen existing partnerships—such as the combined effort of HUD and the Veterans Affairs to help homeless Veterans—and forge new partnerships between agencies like HUD, HHS, and the Department of Labor.

SOAR Works to End Veteran Homelessness: VA Caseworker’s Guide

This guide aims to help VA workers put SOAR training into practice on behalf of Veterans who are homelessness or at risk of homelessness. The fact is that Veterans and others with disabilities who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness often struggle to access available resources. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two programs that can provide assistance: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). These programs have some similarities, but are different in key ways. Each application requires certain documentation; both are complex. SOAR is a training and technical assistance initiative created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and made available to case managers and social workers across the Federal Government and individual states. SOAR offers free tools and training to VA staff and other caseworkers nationwide to boost access to these benefits for people with disabilities who are experiencing or are at risk of homelessness, including Veterans. Use this guide to learn how SOAR works to end Veteran homelessness and then put SOAR training into practice on behalf of Veterans.